Showtime and HBO reached a "rare and unusual agreement that is beneficial for American boxing fans" in which both networks will broadcast the April 29 Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko heavyweight title fight in London, according to Kevin Iole of YAHOO SPORTS. Showtime "gets the live broadcast," which begins at 4:15pm ET, and HBO will "then get the primetime rebroadcast" beginning at 10:45pm. Each net will "provide its own crew to announce the show." Showtime "has an exclusive deal" with Joshua to be his U.S. TV partner while HBO "has a similar agreement" with Klitschko in America. This is one of the "rare instances where Showtime and HBO have worked together." They "collaborated" on the '02 Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson fight and the '15 Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao bout (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/17). ESPN.com's Dan Rafael noted although HBO will get the "short end of the stick with the taped coverage, the fighters have a two-fight deal." Multiple sources said that HBO would "have the right to air the rematch live with Showtime getting the delay." However, there is "no guarantee of a rematch, because if Klitschko loses ... there is a good chance he could retire" (ESPN.com, 4/17).
